Settlers: Fight to the death
2005-02-21 11:41
Jerusalem - The Israeli settler movement was gearing itself up for a fight to the death on Monday after the government's historic vote to leave the Gaza Strip and four settlements in the northern West Bank.
"We need to reconcile ourselves to the fact that we are heading towards a rift in the people," said Pinhas Wallerstein, one of the leaders of the Yesha settlers council.
"This is a dire and complex situation, and I hope that we have the emotional ability to stand and face this reality. Even at the cost of people's lives and of my life, we won't let the evacuation be implemented."
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's cabinet voted by 17 to five at a marathon session on Sunday to begin evacuating the settlers from July 20, in what will be the first ever Israeli withdrawal from occupied Palestinian territory.
The committee of settler rabbis argued that the government's decision was invalid as it contravenes the Torah.
"Halacha (Talmudic law) establishes that a king who acts against the Torah is not to be heeded," the organisation said in a statement published by the Yediot Aharonot daily.
"Therefore, anyone who causes a rift and who is not sensitive to the Torah is responsible for the grave consequences."
In a speech after the vote, Sharon said the decision was the hardest of his entire career.
"But there are moments which demand leadership and responsibility for decisions to be made even if they are unpopular," Sharon said.
"As prime minister, I must look at the whole situation and I believe the disengagement plan will reinforce the Jewish character of Israel, improve its economic prospects and our international standing as well as relaunching the process to find a political solution" with the Palestinians, he added.
- AFP